Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a light-emitting diode (LED) lighting apparatus having a multifunctional heat sink flange, and, more particularly, to an LED lighting apparatus having an electric lamp type device or a modular type device, in which: a heat sink flange is further formed along an outer circumference of the bottom of a main heat sink to which a LED board is directly fixed such that omega-shaped wings having enclosed holes and approximately inverse omega-shaped open holes are alternately formed as means for widening a heat dissipation area of the main heat sink; heat sink segments formed in various shapes such as a rod shape and a heat sink ring separately formed in various shapes such as a cylindrical shape can be removably installed in correspondence with a change in amount of heat generated from the LEDs installed on the LED board; and various structures (e.g., when the LED lighting apparatus is used as an explosion proof lamp, ornaments including a protective cage; an anti-dropping gadget; lighting apparatus fixing bolts; a lighting color presentation plate; a shock damage-proof cap; a post; or a reflector shade having various shapes) can be installed and used at need in correspondence with a place or a position at which the LED lighting apparatus is installed and a function of the LED lighting apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, lighting lamps widely used in common houses or offices include incandescent or fluorescent electric lamps. Such incandescent or fluorescent electric lamps have high power consumption, waste resources, obstruct environmental protection, and increase an environmental temperature to negatively influence the lamp's service time due to the easy generation of heat.
Thus, lamps using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) which are economical due to low power consumption and a possibility to be made small and are capable of maximizing a lighting effect due to various lighting rays and high visibility have been recently developed and used widely.
Here, LED refers to a photoelectric conversion semiconductor device having a structure in which n-type semiconductor crystals having electrons as majority carriers and p-type semiconductor crystals having holes as majority carriers are joined, and particularly a semiconductor light-emitting element using spontaneous emission light occurring when the electrons and holes injected into the p-n junction are recombined.
Due to high photoelectric conversion efficiency, the LED has very low power consumption and a resultant low generation of heat. Further, since the LED does not emit light based on thermal discharge, the LED does not require a preheating time, and thus are rapidly turned on or off.
Further, since the LED has neither a gas nor a filament, the LED resists a shock and is safe. Since the LED employs a stable direct current lighting-up mode, the LED has low power consumption, enables highly frequent pulse operation, is able to reduce visual fatigue, provides a semi-permanent service time, and is able to produce a lighting effect of various colors. As LED lighting lamps use a small light source, they can be made small.
However, the LED has a problem in that heat generated when an LED chip is driven exerts an influence on brightness and service time.
In a conventional design mainly used to overcome the problem with the generation of heat, a lamp case is formed of an aluminum alloy, and heat dissipation fins are integrally formed on an outer circumferential surface of the lamp case so as to improve a heat dissipation effect. However, the heat dissipation effect can be restrictively produced, which cannot be said to be preferable.
In detail, the conventional LED lighting lamps have a structure in which, when a case and heat dissipation fins are formed of an aluminum alloy, the aluminum alloy is pressed under high pressure using a die for die casting, and the heat dissipation fins formed to smoothly radiate heat generated when LEDs are driven are integrally formed on an outer circumferential surface of the case.
When a main body of the case integrated with the heat dissipation fins is formed using the die for die casting, the aluminum case main body and heat dissipation fins cannot be formed to be thin. As such, it is impossible to reduce weight of a product and to maximize a heat dissipation area. Further, the heat generated when the LEDs are driven cannot be effectively radiated. When the case is formed of the aluminum alloy using the die for die casting, electric wire holes and threaded holes should be formed by post processing. Productivity of products is reduced, and material expenses and production cost of the product are increased. Further, the heat dissipation fins are integrally formed at the same volume, and thus an internal space is reduced. As a result, it is very difficult to form a boss for detachably installing an upper cover or a transparent cap in the narrow space.
Thus, in some of recently proposed techniques, when the case of the LED lighting lamp is formed, a main body having a cylindrical shape is formed by extrusion, and multiple heat dissipation fins coupled to the main body and a disc-like cap to which the heat dissipation fins are radially coupled are formed by cutting and bending a thin steel sheet using a press. Thereby, the heat dissipation area of the heat dissipation fins that are fixedly installed on the main body is increased. In this case, the heat generated from the LEDs can be effectively radiated compared to the main body formed of aluminum.
However, in all the LED lighting lamps, the main body and the heat dissipation fins that are integrally formed or separately installed are formed of a metal. As such, there is a limitation in a reduction in weight. Further, when a short circuit occurs between a power supply for supplying power to the LEDs and the metallic main body, there is a possibility of electric shock.
Thus, to resolve this problem with insulation, in some cases, the power supply itself is formed in an expensive insulation type device. This leads to increasing a production cost of products. In other cases, a heat sink of the main body is covered with insulating paint. This also increases the production cost. Due to the insulating paint, the heat dissipation effect is significantly reduced.
To resolve the above problems, the applicant of the present invention has developed an “LED lighting module for improving heat dissipation and light efficiency,” which is disclosed in Korean Unexamined Patent Application No. 10-2012-0087063.
The disclosed LED lighting module is a lighting module using LEDs having low heat generation, low power consumption, and high brightness as a light source. A heat sink for dissipating heat generated from the lighting module is injection-molded using a carbon nanotube metal polymer (CMP) that is a conductive/polymeric heat dissipation resin material containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) having very excellent heat conductivity such that multiple streamlined heat dissipation rods provide a flow of air in all directions. If necessary, the heat sink is formed by insert injection molding such that an auxiliary heat dissipation plate formed of copper or aluminum having high heat conductivity is integrally formed on the bottom of the heat sink that is in direct contact with a LED board. Further, an upper case in which a power supply is installed is also formed of the CMP.
Thus, the LED lighting module can increase performance of dissipating heat generated from the power supply and the LEDs compared to a conventional lighting module, improve light efficiency of the LEDs, and reduce weight and size of a product itself and reduce production cost as well.
However, despite that the amount of generated heat is different depending on the number of LEDs installed on the LED board, the heat sink used for most of the conventional lighting modules including the lighting module having the aforementioned configuration and conventional lighting apparatuses is not provided with any structure capable of changing a critical capacity of dissipated heat according to the number of installed LEDs, i.e. does never provide changeability of the amount of generated heat with respect to different lighting capacities as well as compatibility of the heat sink itself. The lighting module and apparatus having various lighting capacities cannot be provided using the heat sink having the same shape and configuration.
Conventionally, the heat sinks having different shapes and configurations according to the respective lighting capacities and required capacity of dissipated heat should be separately formed, and multiple lighting modules and apparatuses having different lighting capacities and amounts of generated heat, the same external form, and different volumes should be manufactured. As such, the production cost of a product is increased.
Further, various lighting apparatuses manufactured using the LEDs are required to further install various structures according to an installed place or position or a use purpose, or to be coupled with another structure using such a structure. Among the conventional lighting apparatuses using the LEDs, some have a configuration allowed to be coupled with or installed on a specific structure only. However, no configuration capable of being selectively coupled with the structure regardless of the shape or purpose of the structure when used is provided.